Home insulation officials to face administrative charges?

Will officials involved in creating the much-maligned home insulation program face administrative charges, on recommendation of the royal commission into the program? One anonymous tipster told sister Crikey:

“The royal commission into the Labor government’s botched home insulation Program has issued adverse findings against most public servants and has indicated they intend to recommend administrative charges against public servants from APS6 through to senior executive service officials. This would set a dangerous precedent and inhibit public servants from doing their job in the future for fear of prosecution. Never before has a royal commission taken such direct and aggressive action against administrative and middle management public servants.”

We asked the Office of the Royal Commission into the Home Insulation Program whether this was the case, and we received this response:

“The royal commissioner, Mr Ian Hanger AM QC, has not yet made any findings as a result of his inquiry into the home insulation program. The commissioner’s findings will be contained in his report, which is due to be provided to the Governor-General by 31 August 2014.

“In accordance with practice guideline 5, persons were provided with notice of potential adverse findings. These are potential findings that counsel assisting considers are open to the commissioner to make.

“Counsel assisting the commission will consider responses from parties before making final recommendations to the commissioner.”

Which is to say, we just don’t know. But should some public servants be worried …?

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